Aylmer, Que. boil water advisory lifted

The City of Gatineau has lifted a boil water advisory for the Aylmer sector that had been in place since Aug. 1. (Google Maps)

The City of Gatineau has lifted a boil water advisory for the Aylmer sector that had been in place for over a week.

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A statement from the city on Saturday afternoon says analysis and tests of the water confirm that the water is safe to consume.

The boil water advisory had been in place since Aug. 1 and had affected approximately 10,000 residents after a routine inspection discovered the presence of E. coli bacteria.

Residents are asked to open all taps and let the water run for one minute or until it runs cold before using it. The same procedure should be followed for water fountains.

Any ice that was made during the advisory should be discarded, the city says.

Provincial regulations require two consecutive days of negative tests in order to lift the advisory.

While boil water advisories are not uncommon in the area, according to city officials, inconclusive results since Monday required the advisory to be extended longer than usual.

City officials had been working to reassure residents of the quality of Gatineau's water in other parts of the city. Concerns had also been raised over the level of transparency and communication the City of Gatineau had been providing regarding the situation.

"Can we improve communications? Always. And we're always look for ways to do so," said Hull-Wright Coun. Steve Moran at a press conference regarding the boil water advisory on Wednesday.

Residents needing more information are asked to visit the City of Gatineau website or call 311.

With files from CTV News Ottawa's Ted Raymond